Ulcerative Colitis Essay

694 Words2 Pages

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis, or UC, is a chronic gastrointestinal disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the large intestine. It causes ulcers in the colon and rectum. Ulcerative colitis is one of two forms of inflammatory bowel disease. In UC, the inflammation from the ulcers breaks down the lining of the colon and causes bleeding and discomfort in the abdomen.

Researchers are unsure of what triggers UC, but have two strong possibilities. One theory is that the digestive system becomes inflamed when it tries to fight of a virus. The inflammation then remains chronically. Some scientists also believe that heredity may play a role in developing ulcerative colitis. However, most people who have ulcerative colitis do not have a family history of it. It used to be believed that stress triggered UC but the belief has been disproven. Symptoms of UC vary greatly depending on the specific location of the inflammation. Therefore, symptoms are classified in 5 categories depending on location:

In Ulcerative proctitis, inflammation is confined to the area closest to the rectum, and bleeding may be the only sign of the disease. Some people may experience mild rectal pain.
Proctosigmoiditis involves the rectum and the lower end of the colon (the sigmoid colon). Common symptoms of this form of UC are bloody diarrhea, an inability to make bowel movements known as tenesmus, and abdominal pain.
In Left-sided colitis inflammation occurs in the rectum up through the sigmoid and descending colon, located on the left side of the abdomen. Common symptoms include bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain concentrated on the left side, and unintended weight loss.
Pancolitis is inflammation of the entire colon. Sympto...

... middle of paper ...

...g on their own. The steroids are tapered off and the immune system suppressant drugs take over. Side effects can include allergic reactions, bone marrow suppression, infections, and inflammation of the liver and pancreas. Cyclosporine, infliximab, and adalimumab are used in people with severe UC that don’t respond to other drugs. Side effects are severe and include kidney damage, seizures and fatal infection. Some people are at risk for development of cancer with these types of medications.

In rare cases when a patient does not respond to drug treatment or diet and lifestyle changes, surgery may be necessary. Doctors will remove part or all of the colon in attempt to stop the condition. Surgeries for UC are generally successful but significantly decrease quality of life because the patient has to deal with frequent stools due to the absence of a colon.

More about Ulcerative Colitis Essay

Open Document